His ears perk up and he stares at me. “You love me?”
Oh. I guess I hadn’t said it out loud yet.
“Yeah. I do. I love you a lot.”
His face melts into adoration. “Aw, Bree. I love you, too.” He flings his arms around me and rolls me up in them. “I’m so happy to hear that.” Then he glances down at me. “Bennett? Jack?”
“Well, yeah. All of you mean the world to me.”
Then Arthur’s brow creases. “So why don’t you want to live with us?”
“It’s not about you.” I rub his arm, trying to convey how I feel even though it’s complicated. “I loved having the independence of my own place. I’m afraid to lose that. I don’t want to rely on you and burden you with that.”
He genuinely looks confused. “Why not? You’re a part of our family now, Bree. You’re carrying our fawns. You eat at our table and sleep in our bed. I hate to break it to you, but you’re in it now. And being family means we do rely on each other. We’re better together.”
I like how all of this sounds so much, but is it true? It has felt that way for the last few weeks, like everything just works the way it’s supposed to work. Like we naturally fell into a pattern that makes sense.
“Bree.” Arthur peers down right into my eyes. “We want you. Don’t ever doubt that. We want you for you and everything that comes with you. And if that means you want your own place? Fine. I’ll be disappointed, but I’ll live. I just want what’s right for you. That’s all Bennett and Jack need, too. To know that you’re happy with whatever living situation you’re in.” He leans closer and cradles my face in his hands. “The thing I don’t want to see is you acting out of fear. Picking up and moving your entire life because you’re afraid of this guy. And I think you’re trying to protect us.”
He’s not wrong. How does Arthur see me so clearly?
I sigh and lie down with my head on his arm, feeling exhausted, and not just because of the pregnancy. I’m emotionally drained from how much I’m carrying, and maybe it’s time to let it go.
“Come on,” he says when I don’t speak. “Let’s go look at that apartment. Then you can decide what to do.”
Twenty-Seven
Jack
When I get home that night, I’m there before Bennett again. Ha. I’ve been enforcing my work-life boundaries better at the office lately, even though it annoys my boss. I’m going to be the best father ever at this rate.
But then a moment later, Bennett’s car pulls into the driveway. He grins when he spots me, and we meet in the middle of the driveway to butt foreheads.
“Hope you had a good day at work,” he says, kissing me on the cheek.
“Eh. Reports.”
We step inside together, both wiping our feet on the mat. Arthur’s cooking, and Bree is on her laptop at the dining room table.
“What did you do today?” Bennett asks them as he walks up behind Bree and kisses the top of her head.
“Looked at an apartment,” she says.
I try not to let my disappointment show. We’re all doing our best not to put pressure on her to become a part of our herd, to raise our fawns with us, but I had hoped her short time living here would tilt the chances in our direction.
I guess not.
“How was it?” I ask, trying to sound upbeat.
“It was… fine.” Bree sounds weary despite the words. “It’s a gated community, so it’s much safer. Someone would have to know the code to get in, and there’s security.”
That does sound good. It would bring her much more peace of mind.
“But,” chimes in Arthur. “There’s a but.”
Bree sighs. “Yeah. The place is small. Like, really small. And expensive, and way outside of the city. Which doesn’t really bother me, but I don’t want to be so far away from you and the twins.”
That gives me hope, at least, that she’ll want to be a part of the twins’ lives. I worry every day that she’s going to leave us once she gives birth, and then I worry even more about how much that would tear me apart inside.
